Door actuated spray device



May 8, 1962 V T. w. HORN 3,033,471

DOOR ACTUATED SPRAY DEVICE Filed Aug. 11, 1961 lb Thurmln w w rn UniteThis invention relates to door actuated spray devices and moreparticularly to door actuated spray devices in which means is providedto actuate a depressible valve of a spray container.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a door actuatedspray device which may be easily fitted in secured position over theupper edge of a door to support the device therefrom without thenecessity of screws or other securing means fixedly secured to the door.

Another object of the invention is to provide a door actuated spraydevice having a pivotally mounted plate with support means to positionthe plate properly over the depressible valve of a spray container, anda lever pivotally mounted adjacent the plate with a detent thereonadapted to engage the upper surface of the plate to depress the plateand valve therebeneath whereby spray is released from the containerthrough a discharge nozzle.

A further object is to provide in combination with a spray containerhaving a depressible valve and a discharge nozzle, a plate pivotallymounted over the depressible valve and having an extension thereon, alever pivotally mounted adjacent the plate with means urging the leverto a generally vertical position, and a detent on the lever to engagethe extension and thereby move the plate downwardly to actuate the valveupon the closing of the door, the detent riding over and free of theextension upon the door being fully closed whereby the valve is releasedand the spray cut off.

A device embodying features of my invention is shown in the accompanyingdrawing, forming a part of this application, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of my spray device in position on adoor showing the door fully closed and the actuating means of the deviceshown in its forward position immediately after spray has been releasedfrom the container;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view with the door open and the actuatingmeans shown in the rearmost position thereof, the dotted lines showingthe position of the actuating means in its forward position;

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the device shown in FIG. 2 removed from thedoor; and

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary front elevational view of the actuating meansand detent thereon of my spray device.

Referring now to the drawing for a better understanding of my invention,I show a spray device indicated generally by the numeral 10 mounted on adoor D with a door frame or facing F over door D.

Device 10 comprises a downwardly opening channel member 11 which isadapted to fit over the upper edge of door D. A spring plate 12 allowsdevice 10 to grip door D and also allows device 10 to be adapted for usewith doors of different thicknesses. Channel shaped member 11 can bequickly positioned or fitted over the upper edge of a door D and noother securing means, such as screws, nails or the like, are necessaryin order to secure device 10 to a door.

A back 13 extends downwardly from channel member 11 and has side members14 thereon. A band 16 having ends 17 is adapted to extend about acontainer C to secure tightly container C to the back 13. Ends 17 aresecured by a suitable nut and bolt arrangement 18 as shown in FIG. 3 andare positioned on a side of container C so that indicia may bepositioned on the forward States Patent M 3,933,471 Patented May 8, 1962surface of band 16 without any obstruction from the securing means.

Container C has a depressible valve 21 on the upper end thereof and adischarge nozzle 22 connected thereto. Container C may ejectinsecticides or deodorants as desired and may be of the aerosol type.

A plate 24 having an extension 26 on one side thereof is pivotallymounted on a shaft 27 secured to side members 14. A support 20 issecured to back 13 and has a resilient lip 25 thereon which engages theundersurface of plate 24 and limits downward movement thereof, wherebyplate 24 is positioned accurately. a container C is positioned withindevice 10, the upper surface of depressible valve 21 is positionedbarely in contact with the lower surface of plate 24 and thereby isautomatically positioned in proper relation to plate 24. Even though thecontainers employed with my device may be of varying lengths, they areall positioned in the same manner with respect to plate 24 in a minimumof time.

A lever 28 is pivotally mounted at 29 to one of the side members 14 andhas a detent 31 secured thereto which engages extension 26 on plate 24to depress valve 21. Lip 25 positions plate 24 in proper relation todetent 31. Spring 32 urges lever 28 to a generally vertical position asshown in FIGS. 2 and 3. An actuating rod 34 is secured to the upper endof lever 28 and extends in a generally perpendicular relation thereto. Aroller 36 is mounted at the rearward end of rod 34 and may be formed ofa material such as rubber or wood. Roller 36 is adapted to engage doorframe F when the door is closed such as shown in FIG. 1 and does notscratch or scar frame F.

In operation, beginning with the door closed as shown in FIG. 1 and withlever 28 in its forward position and detent 31 out of engagement withextension 26, door D is opened. When roller 36 is removed fromengagement with frame F, spring 32 urges lever 28 to its verticalposition as shown in FIG. 2. Detent 31 rides under extension 26 andpivots plate 24 upwardly and then rides past the undersurface ofextension 26 whereby plate 24 returns to its original position adjacentthe upper surface of depressible valve 21 and lip 25. Thus, no spray hasbeen ejected by the opening of door D. Upon movement of the door D toclosed position, roller 36 engages door frame F and pivots lever 28.Detent 31 engages the upper surface of extension 26 as lever 28 ispivoted downwardly and depresses plate 24 downwardly which exertspressure on valve 21 thereby ejecting spray through nozzle 22. Thiscontinues only for a short instant or until door D is fully closed. Whendoor D is fully closed, detent 31 has ridden over the front edge andclear of extension 26 and thereby releases plate 24 from furtherdownward pressure. Depressible valve 21 and resilient lip 25 returnplate 24 to its original position. The flow of spray from container Cthus stops until door D is opened and closed a second time.

From the foregoing, it will be understood that I have provided a spraydevice which may be easily fitted over the upper edge of a door with apress fit to support the device therefrom without any screws or othersecuring means which deface the door. Further, I provide a spray devicewith a pivotally mounted plate to depress the depressible valve of thespray container with a support for the plate positioned so that acontainer, regardless of its height, may be accurately and easily placedin position within my device by merely positioning the upper surface ofthe depressible valve on the container barely in contact with the undersurface of the plate. Spray is released only during movement of the doorin one direc- Thus, when tion and is not released when the door is movedin the opposite direction.

While I have shown my invention in but one form, it will be obvious tothose skilled in the art that it is not so limited, but is susceptibleof various changes and modifications without departing from the spiritthereof, and I desire, therefore, that only such limitations shall beplaced thereupon as are specifically set forth in the appended claims.

What I claim is 1. In a spray device having a spray container with adepressible valve and discharge nozzle and adapted to be actuated upondepression of the valve, means to support the spray device from a door,a back extending generally parallel to the adjacent surface of the door,a band on the 'back for extending around and securing the spraycontainer, a pivotally mounted plate on the back extending over thedepressible valve and adapted to engage the valve, a pivotally mountedlever on the back having a detent thereon extending over the plate andadapted to engage the upper surface of the plate, said detent moving theplate downwardly to depress said depressible valve upon movement of saidlever in one direction and riding olf said plate to allow the valve tobe released, and means on said lever to actuate the lever upon movingthe door in one direction whereby said plate and depressible valve areactuated to release spray.

2. In combination with a container having a pressurized supply ofmaterial therein and a depressible valve for releasing the material, aholder for the container adapted to fit over the upper edge of a door, aplate pivotally mounted over the depressible valve to engage and depressthe valve when the door is moved in one direction, a lever pivotallymounted for movement adjacent the plate and having a detent thereon,said plate having an extension thereon disposed adjacent said detent,said detent engaging said extension to move said plate downwardly fordepressing said valve when the lever is actuated, actuating means forsaid lever moving the lever upon movement of said door in said onedirection from a rearward position to a forward position, said detentengaging said extension to depress the plate and riding off saidextension when said door is moved fully in said one direction to allowsaid valve to be released, and means to urge said lever to a positionout of engagement with said plate whereby upon moving the door in theopposite direction the lever moves from its forward position to itsrearward position.

3. In combination with a spray container having a pressurized supply ofmaterial therein and a depressible valve for releasing the spray, aholder for the container fitting over the upper edge of a door, a platepivotally mounted over the depressible valve to engage and depress thevalve when the door is closed and having an extension on one sidethereof, a lever pivotally mounted adjacent the plate and having adetent thereon adjacent said extension and moving said plate downwardlyfor depressing said valve when the lever is actuated, spring meansconnected to said lever continuously urging said lever from a forwardposition to a rearward position, actuating means connected to said leverand adapted to engage 21 facing for said door upon closing the door,said actuating means pivoting said lever when the door facing is engagedto move said detent in contact with said plate extension 4 and therebydepress said valve, said detent riding olf said extension when the dooris fully closed and the lever is in its forward position thereby torelease said valve, and said spring means being adapted to return thelever to its rearward position upon opening of said door with saiddetent riding over the extension.

4. A spray device including a pressurized spray container with adepressible valve and comprising a downwardly opening channel shapedclip member adapted to fit over the upper edge of a door with a pressfit to sup port the device therefrom, a band fitting around thecontainer to secure the container to the device, a generally verticallyextending back to which the band is secured, a plate pivotally mountedover the depressible valve and adapted to engage and depress the valveand having an extension on a side thereof, a lever pivotally mountedadjacent the plate and having a detent thereon adapted to engage saidextension to move the plate downwardly to depress said valve, springmeans connected to said lever continuously urging said lever from aforward position to a rearward position, actuating means connected tosaid lever and adapted to engage a facing for said door upon closing thedoor, a resilient stop engaging the underside of said plate to positionsaid plate accurately with respect to said detent, said actuating meansextending generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said leverand pivoting said lever when the door facing is engaged to move saiddetent in contact with said plate extension and thereby depress saidvalve, said detent riding ofi said extension when the door is fullyclosed and the lever is in its forward position thereby to release saidvalve, and said spring means returning the lever to its rearwardposition upon opening of said door with said detent riding over theextension and pivoting the plate away from the depressible valve.

5. In a spray device having a pressurized spray container with adepressible valve and discharge nozzle and adapted to be actuated upondepression of the valve, means to support the spray device from a door,a back extending generally parallel to the adjacent surface of the door,a band on the back for extending around and securing the spray containerto the device, a pivotally mounted plate on the back extending over thedepressible valve and adapted to engage the valve, a pivotally mountedlever on the back having a detent thereon extending over the plate andadapted to engage the upper surface of the plate, said detent moving theplate downwardly to engage said depressible valve upon movement of saidlever in one direction and riding off said plate to allow the valve tobe released, a resilient support for the plate secured to the back andcontacting the undersurface of the plate in supporting relation toposition the plate accurately with respect to said detent whereby saidcontainer may be easily positioned in proper relation, and means on saidlever to cause actuation of the lever upon movement of the door in onedirection.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,534,464 Marini et al Dec. 19, 1950 2,728,608 Marini Dec. 27, 19552,795,799 Dickerman June 18, 1957 2,989,214 Manheimer June 20, 1961

